The Prime Minister is expected to move a number of women into key ministerial
roles to help spread the Tory message before the next election

David Cameron is planning to promote a clutch of talented women to key ministerial roles, with three former television personalities being lined up to become the female faces of the Tories’ election campaign.

The Prime Minister wants them to take the lead in making the Conservative case to voters on daily regional and national television and radio between now and polling day next May.

He is expected to carry out a wide-ranging reshuffle this week, designed to sharpen the Conservatives’ fighting edge.

Among those tipped for promotion are Esther McVey, a former GMTV presenter who is now a welfare minister, and Penny Mordaunt, the MP who appeared in ITV’s Splash! earlier this year.

Miss McVey is widely tipped for promotion to the Cabinet. She is regarded by senior government figures as “brilliant”, “striking” and one of the Conservatives’ most assured media performers.

She could be given the job of minister without portfolio, which is likely to be vacated by Kenneth Clarke, the 74-year-old former chancellor.

Miss Mordaunt, the back-bench MP for the naval port constituency of Portsmouth North, is seen as a natural choice for promotion to the role of a junior minister in the Ministry of Defence.

In addition to her television appearance, she impressed Mr Cameron, who called her “a parliamentary star” with her speech during the debate on the Queen’s Speech last month.

The 41-year old sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve would be a popular choice as a champion of the military in government.

The appointment would make her the second woman defence minister. Anna Soubry, who was made a defence minister last year, has been linked with a possible promotion, to become Britain’s first woman defence secretary.

Senior sources played down the idea, but Miss Soubry, another former broadcaster, is certain to be deployed on the airwaves during the election campaign.

Mr Cameron is still finalising the details of his reshuffle, and will hold more discussions in the next 48 hours with his advisers and with George Osborne, the Chancellor, who plays a significant role in allocating ministerial jobs.

The changes are likely to be far more extensive than Mr Cameron’s previous shake-ups and are expected to involve at least three Cabinet jobs changing hands.

In addition to Mr Clarke, Sir George Young, the 72-year-old chief whip, and Andrew Lansley, 57, leader of the Commons, are also expected to leave the Government.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested that Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, and Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, could be asked to move or make way for new blood.

Among other rising stars in line for promotions is Priti Patel, the back-bench MP for Witham, who has played an increasingly important role in recent months, since joining the Downing Street policy board.

She is well regarded for her background in business and her strong advocacy of reforms to the European Union.

Nicky Morgan, the minister for women, could also be given a Cabinet post, along with Liz Truss, the education minister.

Another post that the Prime Minister will need to fill is the choice of Britain’s next European Commissioner.

Lord Howard, a former Tory leader, is one leading figure who has been linked to the post, although Mr Lansley, the former health secretary, remains the front-runner for the job.

In a break with recent convention, Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, will not conduct a reshuffle this week. In the past, he has reordered his ministerial team, which includes five members of the Cabinet, at the same time as Mr Cameron.

However, a party source said yesterday that there would be no reshuffle until the party’s annual conference in Glasgow in October.